My Little Big Brother
by Bright Anarchy
Summary: Conner is introduce to the concepts of family, loyalty, play, experimentation and friendship but he's not so sure what's going on. "Robin is not my little brother."
1. Play with me

**This will be a short three shot**

After the team had been created, Superboy moved into the mountain.

On Superboy's first Wednesday in the mountain, Robin showed up with a kite and handful of crazy straws.

"I'm not allowed certain freedoms living in Gotham. Come fly a kite with me SB."

Superboy had nothing better to do.

Robin explained that he did a lot of aerial work at the top of Gotham. Kites were a good way to learn how air currents flowed, where up drafts could be found and to generally get a feel for wind.

Superboy took a few turns with the kite. He imagined himself flying and wondered if it was a skill he'd develop later.

"What are the defective straws for?" asked Superboy giving the oddly bent and looped straws a strange look.

"I just like them. They're fun. If you drink something carbonated with them you can watch the bubbles. Here, have an orange fizzy."

Superboy tried his first ever orange soda with a crazy straw. He looked a little alarmed then he burped loudly. Robin cackled with delight.

Weekends were for training, so were Tuesdays and Thursdays but Robin mostly only came on weekends unless there was a midweek mission. Wally explained that Robin had a lot of prior commitments. He was permitted to join the team only if his other duties were taken care of. He trained with Batman for several hours everyday. He was expected to meet certain minimum number of public relations community service hours. He was very involved in his school and was expected to maintain straight A's. He also has obligations with his family. "We usually hang out after training on the weekends. We text and sometimes we online game. He's probably the busiest guy I know," explained Wally.

^ŏ^

The next Wednesday, Robin took Superboy to help at the animal shelter. Superboy assumed it would count towards Robin's public relations community service hours. They cleaned a few cages but spent most of their time playing with abandoned cats and dogs.

"If they don't learn how to be friendly they don't stand much of a chance of getting adopted," explained Robin.

Superboy sat very still trying extra hard to be gentle while he pet homeless animals. One puppy was trying to use his hand as a chew toy. It didn't hurt but Superboy wasn't sure what to do. Robin corrected the small pup with an appropriate amount of force. He smiled up at Superboy.

"He's got to know not to bite. Team work huh SB?"

They had to made a quick Zeta to Japan where they delivered a league sensitive package then stopped in an open air market to watch a professional noodle maker stretching out noodles. Tokyo City was one of those Cities that never slept. They had fresh Udon noodles for dinner or breakfast if you converted to Tokyo time.

It was a very activity packed two and a half hours thought Superboy as he watched Robin hurry home. He had to be home before 7 pm Gotham time. The noodle maker had asked Superboy if he and his younger brother wanted tea with their noodles. Cadmus had programmed him to understand Japanese but Superboy had never yet spoken it. He'd stared at the older gentleman and Robin had cheerfully piped in and answered for him that yes they would have tea.

"He's not my brother," Superboy had protested awkwardly in English a few moments later. Having a language programmed into his brain and actually speaking it seemed disconnected.

^ŏ^

Slowly Superboy began to think of Wednesday as Robin day. Every Wednesday there was a new activity and a new food, then Robin would have to scramble home to make his 7 pm deadline. Sometimes they went in uniform like when they went to read to sick kids at the hospital. The kids loved Robin. He was so animated and he did silly voices and made crazy faces. Superboy preferred sitting quietly in a corner and reading to one or two children at a time. He could picture Superman reading to children.

Dinner was at the hospital salad bar. Robin insisted on making these crazy works of art out of assorted vegetables. Superboy begrudgingly built a carrot and celery log cabin. "This is stupid."

"SB everyone absolutely has to play with their food from time to time," answered Robin with a grin.

^ŏ^

Superboy knew how protective Batman was of Robin. He figured the least he could do to repay Batman for the creation of the team, a place to live, food, training and a purpose that allowed for personal freedom was to escort Robin on his Wednesday adventures. He only sometimes remembered that Robin wasn't just a grinning kid in sunglasses. Robin on missions was a different person, at least, Superboy hadn't figured out how to connect the two.

One week it was a skateboard park and sushi. Superboy, now Conner did not care for the sushi. Robin shrugged and explained that sometimes you've just got to experiment.

^ŏ^

Next it was the library for a library card followed by burritos. Wally and the rest of the team invited themselves along for the burritos. Superboy frowned a little when Robin ended up paying for everyone and no one even said thank you. It didn't really occur to him that Kaldur, M'gann and he had little to no money as they were minors in a foreign society. He didn't know that Artemis couldn't afford to splurge on take out and Wally would spend his entire allowance in a meal to keep himself from starving. He just knew that Robin didn't usually carry much cash and they didn't usually spend much money on their Wednesday outings. Robin had paid with a debit card. Was he spending his college savings wondered Conner.

They hadn't taken Robin to the library, he had, thought Conner. Conner hadn't noticed that Robin had flipped through a few books but not gotten any books for himself, nor had he gotten himself a library card. Happy Harbour "residents" were eligible for library cards. "Thanks for dinner Robin," spoke Conner sounding rather angry.

Robin just grinned and raced off. Everyone else was still eating but Robin had to be home for 7 pm.

^ŏ^

Next week was a drumming circle with Red Arrow on a Navajo reservation. They shared traditional native foods. Robin brought a rabbit dish that he said his grandfather helped him make. Roy brought fried bread. One of the elders complemented Conner that his grandfather and little brother made an excellent rabbit stew. Conner shifted uncomfortably and complimented a random corn dish. Robin didn't make it home for 7 pm. Batman was waiting for him at the mountain. He looked annoyed. Roy just mock saluted Batman and blew him off. Superboy could hear Batman explaining that these excursions were a privileged that could be revoked and that for his tardiness he could write a ten page essay on Navajo traditions.

^ŏ^

The next Wednesday they stayed at the mountain. They made playdough for the children at one of the Women's Shelters in Gotham. M'gann helped. Conner was brushing glitter off of himself for days.

"Come on Conner you haven't lived until you've made something with glitter!" teased Robin with a cackle.

M'gann was delighted with the odd craft material and they all experimented with it for a little while.

"You're involved in a lot of children's charities," Conner observed.

Robin nodded. "Batman's got the scare the bad guys side of the hero game covered but Gotham needs a little compassion too. When you're dealing not just with bad guys but also with victims sometimes it helps to have a, a, ... a not Batman along." A grin followed his explanation.

They had breakfast for dinner; omelettes. Conner, M'gann and Robin each cooked their own completely personalized omelette. M'gann didn't burn hers either.

Next week they set up a tire swing over a nearby river. They cooked bannock and sausages over an open fire for dinner.


	2. Expectations

The next week Robin didn't come. Conner felt like he spent till 7 pm just hanging around waiting. It's not like Robin had ever told him he was going to come. He'd just been showing up. Conner was angry. He was still angry come Thursday's training session. Black Canary called him out on his behaviour.

"IT'S NOTHING OKAY!"

When Robin still didn't show up on Saturday, Conner asked why Robin was even on the team if he wasn't ever going to come to training.

"Dude that's seriously harsh. You know he's in the hospital don't you?" asked Kid Flash.

"What happened," asked Conner still angry but not sure who he should be angry at anymore.

Kid Flash shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure if answering truthfully would or could cause problems with Robin's identity. Black Canary answered the question. She kept her answer very general. "He was injured on duty. He has a high fever as a result of an infection, otherwise his injuries are not severe. He should be back on duty soon."

"Poor Robin. We should visit him," suggested M'gann twisting her hands in concern.

Kaldur nodded formally. Artemis gave a brisk nod too.

"Batman won't allow it. He's delirious and Bats won't ever let people visit with Rob if he can't be certain he's in fit shape not to start spilling secrets," answered Kid Flash. "Oh Supe, I got one of Rob's weird contingency emails. I was supposed to give you something on Wednesday. Just a sec." Kid Flash returned in a few moments with a smallish package wrapped in brown paper. Inside was a funny little paint with water vintage activity book. The cartoons were in the Dick and Jane style. There was also a small package of Jelly Babies.

The note said, "My mom used to get me these activity books to entertain me on rainy days. There is something magic feeling about dipping the crappy little paintbrush in water and slowly revealing softly coloured pictures. If you get it too wet the paint just washes away. Jelly Babies are an English treat. Sorry I had to skip out on you SB."

Black Canary watched in silence as the teens sat on the training room floor fascinated by an old fashioned child's toy. The odd little paint with water book made Kaldur smile. Artemis commented that her mom used to get her those books too! Miss Martian was curious. Superboy passed out Jelly Babies. Superboy gradually calmed down, for the first time since Wednesday.

"He'll be alright?" Conner confirmed. Black Canary nodded gently. They resumed training after a short break.

^ŏ^

Robin was back the next Wednesday but they didn't leave the cave. Conner helped Robin assemble a suspension bridge out of Popsicle sticks while Rob wrote out calculations estimating how much weight it would carry. It was one of his homework assignments. They had Popsicles and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. "Don't tell anyone you helped me with my homework, okay Conner?"

Conner grunted. Robin was still very pale and he kind of wobbled when he was standing too long. Conner didn't like it. Batman showed up to escort Robin home rather than letting him find his own way home. Good thought Conner, mildly angry that Robin hadn't stayed home in bed. He must have a lot of homework to catch up on thought Conner. He probably really needed the help. Stupid kid.

^ŏ^

Black Canary and Batman wanted Conner and Megan to start school for social reasons more than anything. Megan needed to learn more about earth culture and though Conner had a lot of knowledge that had been essentially programmed into his brain, he needed to practice applying that knowledge. Conner thought back to the Udon Noodle man speaking Japanese at him and knew that, though he didn't like the idea of school, he probably did need to apply his knowledge or whatever. Conner and Megan together asked Wally, Artemis and Robin what to expect from school.

"Oh excuse me," corrected M'gann. "Robin wouldn't be in high school yet would he? He's thirteen and I believe that would put him in grade seven or maybe eight?"

Kid Flash snickered at Robin who just chuckled at little but said nothing.

Wally and Artemis said a little about the good and the bad of school.

Robin warned that no matter the grade, school was different from the hero gig and it would probably take patience to get used to it. He warned that bullying, racial prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination by social class were all present just like for the adults but out in the open a bit more because kids often ran hot and unfiltered. Those wrongs were handled differently in schools than in adult society because in theory, a school was a learning environment and everyone had to have the opportunity to learn to change.

"It reminds me a little of dealing with the Joker sometimes. Someone's causing trouble and they get a lot of attention and maybe a slap on the wrist but a short while later, there they are again, causing trouble."

"Dude you having trouble?" asked Wally. "Do I need to go rearrange someone's face?" Wally asked doing his best imitation of a Gotham gangster,

"Not at the moment. That wasn't the point. The point was you can't go all vigilante on someone even when they deserve it because this gig? ..the Team is an adult world, dealing with adult criminals and issues, so the league will hold you to adult standards and expect you to be better then the 'kids' at school."

Artemis nodded and scowled a bit, "...Yeah, even when you want to punch some moron in the nose just as much as the next kid. I don't think the adult world has any less idiots in it but you can do more to choose who you hang out with. Everyone goes to high school or just school I suppose," she corrected for Robin's benefit.

"Okay really guys?" Kid Flash said at last, not able to stand it anymore. "You realize Rob is some kind of uber genius don't you? Go on, ask him about Avogardo or ask him how many languages he speaks. He's got to be in High School. Heck, he's probably in college!"

Robin cackled and disappeared.

Conner took Kid Flash's arm to get his attention. "Robin has had, 'trouble' at school?" he asked distressed.

KF snorted dismissively. "Okay let's even include the Atlantian who probably did some very different kind of school." Kid Flash nodded to Kaldur who nodded back. "Hands up who ever has NOT had 'trouble' at school at some point."

There was a distinct lack of hands up.

Conner didn't even make it through one week of school without detention. He wondered if Superman ever ended up in kiddie jail. He knew there were real juvenile detention centres that actually were kiddie jails but still, was it that wrong to yell at a teacher? He hadn't meant to break the desk. He'd offered to pay for it. Superman probably never got detention.

Conner was expecting to see Black Cannery waiting for him after detention but it was Wednesday and there was Robin sitting on the front step of the school waiting.

"I'm sorry," spoke Conner.

"BC will want to know why you got detention but just so you know, it's the high school equivalent of a time out. At a high school level some one is keeping track of them but it's for minor mistakes."

Conner grunted. "I yelled and kind of broke a desk."

"You're strong. I can't imagine how hard it is to avoid breaking stuff sometimes," Robin answered lightly.

"I wish he'd show me how not to," Conner whispered not intending to be heard. (Robin heard)

"I don't think I'm giving away anything by saying this but he wasn't raised by Kryptonians. He was just raised by good people. You'll figure it out."

That was something no one had told Conner. That maybe he'd be okay even without the big guy hanging over him.

"What do you have planned for today?" asked Conner.

"I'm starving. I brought a backpack full of fried chicken, corn on the cob and carrots and it still should be hot."

What were they doing in a tree again wondered Conner? Robin was dressed in civvies. They were playing the forest floor is lava. This childish game seemed to involve...

Slip bang! Conner fell out of the tree again and Robin yelled with full drama. "Don't worry Conner I'll save you! You're safe on the rock. Reach up! Take my hand! I'll pull you to safety." Conner growled and jumped into a tree almost bringing the branch right off the tree.

"Who's stupid idea was it to eat greasy chicken then go climbing?" demanded Conner.

"Easy on the tree man. It does no wrong," Robin called out hopping and scrambling from tree to tree like a little monkey.

"I hate monkeys," muttered Conner.


	3. Troll

Conner joined the football team at Megan's encouragement only to find out after that games were Wednesdays after school. Instead of just telling Robin he grouched at him all weekend because he felt guilty and he didn't like feeling guilty. Finally, at the very last minute as Robin Zeta'd home on Sunday Conner rushed to say "I'm busy on Wednesdays now." He wasn't even really sure Robin had heard him.

"Don't worry Conner. I told him about the football team," Megan reassured with a smile.

Conner was astonished when he saw in Robin in the stands with a big foam finger on Wednesday. The team wanted him to come out for pizza after the game. Megan and the other cheerleaders were coming too. Robin came down to congratulate him after the game.

"Oh come on Conner. No little brothers allowed," one of the line backers groaned.

Conner got this kind of fluttery uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.

"It's cool," reassured Robin. "I couldn't come and make it back for my curfew anyway."

Conner wasn't sure what to think when Robin casually asked Megan if they needed a little money for pizza. Conner did want to go out with everyone else but actually, he and Megan didn't have money for pizza.

Conner watched as Robin gave a friendly wave and left. That same line backer snarked out, "Kid Brothers suck. Isn't it embarrassing having him puppy dog after you at your games?" Conner thought of Artemis wanting to punch school idiots in the nose and being held to adult standards. Robin had been called his little brother before and every other time Conner had been quick to point out that Robin wasn't his little brother. Conner said nothing this time.

Megan holding a twenty from Robin looked distressed. Conner looked at her then looked at the diminishing form of Robin heading out of the parking lot.

^ŏ^

On Conner's first away game he sat on the bus next to Megan who kept looking at him.

"What's the matter? Wait don't tell me?" Megan smiled kindly and just a little playfully. She took a small battered tea tin out of her back pack. "You know who it's from. I don't know why, but he's decided you're family you know."

Conner didn't smile but the heaviness Megan had felt from him since the bell rang and they'd boarded the bus had disappeared. "Family?" questioned Conner. Robin drank green tea sometimes. Superman drank coffee.

Megan shrugged with a smile.

Conner opened it. Inside was a small plastic troll with messy black hair and a gem in it's belly. There were also several packages of Poprocks. A note said, "Good luck against West Shelborne High. This little guy will have to be my stand in. Press the gem in his belly. In the sixties, this carbonated candy was rumoured to have killed Mikey who reportedly exploded after he ate six packs of the stuff followed by the quick consumption of six cans of cola. Are you brave enough to try it?"

Conner honest to goodness smirked. He pushed the gem in the troll's belly. The troll made a farting noise followed by a recording of a familiar cackle. Conner smiled. Megan hugged his arm.

^ŏ^

Robin and Superman or rather Dick Grayson and Clark Kent sat at a small Cafe in Metropolis.

"He's started playing football?" asked Clark.

Dick nodded.

"What position is he playing?"

"He's one of the defensive linemen. I don't think he's very comfortable playing offensive positions when he's still learning to control his strength. Didn't you tell me you played football in high school?"

"I think it's good he's playing football. I don't want to be like I have with him but he doesn't need a mentor whose is prejudiced against him and I keep trying to shift gears but I've not had a lot of success," spoke Clark polishing his glasses awkwardly.

Dick shifted uneasily. "Uncle Clark..."

Clark interrupted, "I can't thank you enough. Almost everyone close to me has been very vocal about how I need to step up and get over myself. It's one of the draw backs really, of this illusion of perfection people have of me. It feels like the whole world is against me not just my enemies but friends as well. Tell me something else, something good."

"He loved the animals. There was this one puppy..."

"Can you take him to the zoo? Do you think he'd like the zoo?" offered Clark. "Did he like the paint with water book? I liked that. Ma used to buy me those too. Can you film his next football game."

"I don't think he'd like the zoo because the animals are in cages. Why don't you just go as yourself to his next game. It's an away game. Just a sec. I'll look up where they're playing."

Bruce and Alfred sat at the Bat Computer watching surveillance footage. "Alfred, he's made more progress with Clark without once telling the man what to do, then the entire Justice League."

"Family is there for each other. Superman has been Uncle Clark to him as long as I can remember," answered Alfred.

Both men thought back to the day Robin had returned from Cadmus grinning. "I have a brand new cousin! I'm going to be the most awesome cousin ever!"

There really wasn't any point in telling Dick no more strays, stop trying to save widows and orphans. Wally and Roy had both decided they were Dick's honorary big brothers ages ago. Most of the big seven considered themselves his aunts and uncles.

"How long do you think Clark and Conner will hold out?" asked Bruce with the tiniest of smirks.

"I have no idea what you mean Sir. If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go bake some more cookies for my grandson."

 _\- Have you ever had someone stand by you without question or judgement when you knew things weren't good and you were a part of it? Maybe your entire groups of friends, your whole family or all your classmates had something to say about whatever it was. I had someone break down in tears once and thank me for doing this and honestly it taught me something because I'm usually the one that is too vocal trying to provide guidance..._


End file.
